gloria_hopkins

Thanks everyone, for reading. I'm happy to say that with the help of a fellow photo.netter, I have figured out and forever solved my luminosity problems. The mountain is Grand Teton, or hopefully it will be when I'm done. Thanks very much and have a great day!

Btw, if anyone can guess what mountain this is, that would just make my whole day :)

Hi folks: I hope some art photographers are reading this:

 

How do I attempt to preserve luminosity in a photograph of an oil

painting? Particularly the warmer, transparent glazes?

 

If you will follow the link below (semi-large file), you will see

areas of yellow (or at least they resemble yellow). In these places

the color is applied in very thin glazes over bare white canvas. This

causes the white to shine through the color and it positively GLOWS.

Well, online it looks like muddy fingerpainting.

 

And the reds - same thing. There are about eight shades of rich,

glowing reds but it looks like I slapped a bunch of muddy maroon down

in various places. It's my best painting but it's absolutely the

worst online. I need serious help.

 

I use a 5mp digital camera to make 'in-progress sketches' but as far

as luminosity is concerned, I've experienced the same problems with

film so I won't blame the camera for this. I'm sure its the operator.

 

Many thanks for any help.

 

http://www.gloriahopkins.com/assets/images/Picture-329jpeg.jpg

 

MODERATORS: If I have posted this question to the wrong forum, please

feel free to move it!

Oh Keith, I get your post now. I made it sound like I'm opposed to their improving their images. No, that wasn't the point and I shouldn't have written it that way. Forgive me, I've been writing about shapes and lines for a solid week and I'm blind, cross-eyed and a little burned out.

 

Anyway, my longer post sums up my concerns pretty well. And, sorry for the misunderstanding.

Keith, thanks for your reply. I'm still doing internal battle about this issue and I'm not at all firm in my beliefs, so don't take anything I say as written in stone, and don't nobody beat me up!!

 

My problem is not this success, of course not. This was used as an example of how widely accepted, rapidly embraced and firmly entrenched digital photography has become.

 

My concerns lie in that the journey from fumbling amateur to pro (financially successful) photographer is made so fast, and what implications that has/will have on photography as an art. Something has *got* to be missed.

 

Learning to design images, for example, is a process for many. It involves self examination, discovery, reflection and a lot of hours at the lightbox (or computer monitor), or in the studio/field. These things cannot be done overnight. Another example: my painting teacher liked to say that if we that if we want to render something well, we must first know it well. I'd like to continue thinking that most photographic artists still study their subjects.

 

It is this new kind of photography that has me concerned. I worry about the direction photography is going. I worry about the level of work that is being turned out by those with a superfast learning curve. And to top it off, I'm being told that soon film will be gone forever, and, since I won't buy a DSLR, my photography career is forcefully ended?? That makes me think that I don't want to be a part of photography anymore at all. See ... I'm really dealing with a lot of issues here!

 

Granted, I know there are those digital users who put their time into learning the visual side of photography. It's those who would be enabled by digital or even inspired by it, to do photography for the money, which has me most worried.

 

Thanks Keith. Talking/writing/reading about it helps me a lot.

I have really been struggling with this digital camera issue, and I've even seriously considered giving up photography because it seems everything is going toward digital.

 

I have seen every photographer friend I know "go digital" in the past four years. I watched them leap to internet fame and become instantly famous because they were able to improve their images by leaps and bounds, some of them, literally overnight - literally.

 

I wonder, how wise is it to make that trip so fast? What are we missing? I have a good idea.

Keith, I just tried the GoogleEarth program. It is the COOLEST thing since ..... I even know what. It is the answer to one of my biggest problems as a painter: location and perspective, light angles, etc.

 

THANK YOU - you just made my whole day!!!

 

Gloria

Neil - thanks for your contribution but I'm afraid that I don't understand. I have been studying visual art, image design and composition for about 30 years. The thought of trying to count how many compositions I've studied is nauseating. Writing about it, I am finding, is a *lot* more difficult than practicing it! I hope I'm getting better as I go.

 

Bill and Jochen, thank you. You have given me good insights on why I encounter this attitude so often. Bill your first para almost drew me out - but I'm mellowing with age and read the rest of your post and calmed down ;)

 

Thanks again everyone - have a fabulous weekend!

Gloria

Hi Johnathan:

 

:) Yes it WAS me, lol. Thank you so much for your insights to this and to my Weston inquiry. I appreciate it very much.

 

And thanks to those who contributed after my last post. I go forth with a warmer heart tonight :)

:) Thank you Nick. It was very kind of you to say that.

Cape May is an absolutely beautiful and charming little town. It seems a town oriented around birds and birding. During my visits, it was wonderful to get out and walk around the touristy areas, watch the sights, eat the food, wander around the birding stores and art exhibits, and snuggle on the beach during the famous sunsets.

 

I know that Cape May is a location frequented by many bird photographers, but if you don't find any birds to photograph, which we didn't, it is still a very picturesque town and there are many wonderful architectural images to be made. It is a wonderful town to wander around in and again, it seems very bird/birder friendly.

 

Have a great time!

Gloira

Thanks very much everyone, for your thoughtful and helpful replies. You have offered some fantastic insights and made many very good points. It is not my desire to agree or argue with any ideas, so I will simply thank you and contribute my own observations.

 

I personally don?t qualify image composition as good or evil, useful or a waste of time; it simply is. If we have an object within a frame of reference, such as in a photograph or painting, we have a composition. Like it or not. Whether we choose to ignore the elements of that composition is individual preference, and sometimes ignorance.

 

Composition is not always about following rules and it irks me when someone sees the word and automatically assumes I am talking about following some tired old rule. For example, learning about image design and composition teaches us about different kinds of light, textures, color, lines, perspectives, angles, shapes, forms, depth, symmetry, balance, mood and many other things. As visual artists, these are the words we speak with and tell our stories. How proficient a story-teller we are is dependent on our understanding and use of these elements.

 

The popular design techniques and so-called guidelines are helpful for rank beginners, absolutely. But as we grow artistically they, like training wheels on a bike, can be slowly abandoned and called upon when appropriate.

 

Thanks again everyone. I am touched by time you take to help a fellow photographer :) Have a wonderful evening.

 

Gloria

I hope you don't mind another question on composition. I've been

wondering about this one for a long time and I just not getting

something. Here goes:

 

Why do you think it is that learning and talking about composition

and image design has turned into such a negative thing among some

photographers?

 

Every time I mention it online I get some sort of negative remark

that says something like: composition can't be taught; learning about

composition is a waste of time; just go shoot and feel your way;

composition stifles creativity, etc. I don't understand this

attitide, especially from those who have never taken the time to

learn and know nothing of the matter.

 

I understand that many talented/seasoned/experienced photographic

artists are far beyond anything that design principles can do for

them. And I understand that there are those who can intuitively

design cohesive, stunning works of art without having studied image

design a bit. But I don't understand this dismissive attitude by

those who simply refuse to consider learning about image design

principles.

 

I have a serious interest in this matter because I write about

composition and image design. I want a better understanding of this

attitude and I'd like to address issues that are important to my

readers' work.

 

Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

Moderators: if you feel the need to move this, please go ahead. I

didn't know where to put it and I know some folks in this group :)

I forgot to say - regardless of the camera you decide on, consider adding a quality zoom lens to your photo kit. A zoom can give you tremendous flexibility when trying to isolate and compose.

My roommate Sam had this issue when he tried 35mm photography. He blamed the camera until I told him that it is usually only a simple matter of isolation, as far as composing the image is concerned, anyway.

 

When we look out over a scene, or vista, we often marvel at its beauty and feel compelled to capture the scene. Well, we do exactly that, we pick up the camera and shoot. Often it is a grand scene, and in a small image like a photograph, that impact lost and its hard to remember what we found so enchanting about the scene. Our capture mediums, though very smart, cannot convey the sense of awe and wonder we feel inside so you must do it through your images with framing and isolation.

 

Learn to isolate that which is striking to you. Give your image a main focus, or subject, and then compose based on that/those element(s). Simplify. This often involves moving your position to reveal better lighting, angles and/or compositions.

 

Good luck and have fun!

Gloria

Someone gave me John Shaw's video series on composition and its a bit basic, but perfect for a beginner. It's yours if you want it (VHS tapes). Just email me at gloria@gloriahopkins.com and I'll send them along....

 

GOOD LUCK and have fun,

Gloria

Thanks very much for your interest. I have found my pro!

Hi everyone: I hope that you'all have been happy and thriving.

 

I'm doing a series on composition for nature photography have just

finished the shape and form section. I need to have someone with

solid design and composition skills take a look at it and "check me."

 

Could you write me at gloria@gloriahopkins.com ??

 

Would rather not post the text here just yet - it is exclusively for

photo.net, though, and will be out soon.

 

Many thanks,

Gloria

Michael Gordon

 

http://www.mgordonphotography.com/

Thanks very much for your answers and participation, folks.

 

Photography, at least my understanding of it, is a visual art. We speak on visual terms. We tell visual stories. Our native language is the visual language. It would seem silly to not learn a language before we attempt to speak it. Successful grab shots only come around so often!

 

This works the other way, also. If we study composition and image design, it can help to give us a greater appreciation of others' techniques and practices and greatly enhance the viewing experience. I know I love nothing more than to study a thoughtfully composed, super complex composition. I love it. It can be very much like reading a story, or unfolding a mystery and it is highly enjoyable for me.

 

Thanks again - I appreciate your insights very, very much.

 

Gloria

"Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is

like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk."

 

What do you suppose this means? Composition and image design, for

some, is not natural and intuitive, and for many, it doesn't

just 'happen' one day.

 

If he meant that we shouldn't copy the practices of others and adhere

to those "guidelines," I agree with that. But if he's saying that

learning about composition is an unworthy way for a photographer to

spend his time, I'd have to strongly disagree with that.

 

Your thoughts?

Here's a website of my friend Geo. He's extremely helpful if you should have more questions, though he is often at sea and may not be around. At the very least, you can see how a pro does his whale images, though I don't think he has any technical info on the images.

 

http://www.whalephoto.com/

With that camera, if you're uncertain just set it to "P" ("P for Professional" har har har!) and it should expose your images properly *and* fetch you a cup of hot chocolate.

 

I would definitely take a polarizer. Good luck and have fun! Whales are such special creatures.

"The Principles of Form and Design" Wucious Wong.

Wal-Mart has this tiny Samsonite "backpack" (in the camera section) which is a perfect fit for my Shen Hao 4x5. And even better, it is also a perfect fit for four fidelity style 4x5 film holders.

 

There's not a lot of extra padding or dividers in these "backpacks" so not much added weight. Cut off the backstraps to get rid of more weight. I use another one for the accessories. That's three total - very lightweight - all tuck nicely into the backpack - everything's organized.

 

Good luck,

Gloria